


Observations

by JulesAndMore



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Gem Egg Hell, Oviposition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-18
Updated: 2015-10-28
Packaged: 2018-04-27 00:04:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5025901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JulesAndMore/pseuds/JulesAndMore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peridot thinks the kindergarten is a much better way to grow an army.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Log number 8903. The pearl has displayed some, strange behaviour since becoming gravid." 

"Hey, Peridot. What does gravid mean?"

The young boy's question went unanswered.

"She now requires long periods of stasis and needs to consume external energy supplies."

"That's called sleeping, nerd" the purple gem stood guard over the sleeping Pearl. She had fallen asleep on the couch, enjoying the warmth of the early mornings sun on her skin. Peridot ignored the comments.  
" Objects, like rectangular head rests and full body wrap that the earthling use for their inactive periods have been missing from this dwelling and I have heard similar claims from the other earthlings residing in the area." Pausing for a moment to look at the sleeping gem. She was covered in a thick layer of blankets the half gem had proved. " Since I am forbidden from entering the temple, I can only speculate they are being used to construct a primitive nesting structure."  
—————————————————————— 

Pearl laid back on the top of one of her water pillars. She sighed in relief at the cooling water, easing her aching back. Her mates had been hovering lately, she loved them dearly but she needed a little independent. Steven had been making an effort to bring her food and to clean up after himself. Steven and Amethyst made it their duty to make sure Pearl ate, it was hard to say no when Steven tried so hard. Steven turned out to be a fast learner and took pride in trying new recipes.

She groaned as she tries to sit up. The extra weight shifted to a new position as she stood. It was different. She was hyper aware of the placement of all the eggs in her abdomen. Every time she would move they would shift into a new location. The constant movement acting as a reminder of current liability to the team. She couldn't go on mission, and her temper has been even shorter then usual. A waddling gem would slow them down, a waddling gem who was crying or screaming in frustration even more so.

A pair of arms enfolded her in a warm embrace and gem studded hands rubbed her sore belly.

"Sleep alright?" 

Pearl relaxed in to her tall mate, she placed a kiss to Garnet's chin.

"You, we're watching." It wasn't of questions. She already knew. Garnet had probably been the most exited about the eggs. Steven was thrilled to be a brother, Amethyst was wavering from fear to excitement and Peridot asked why they didn't just use the kindergarten if we wanted an army. Pearl spun to face Garnet, wrapping her arms around her neck.

Pearl found that both Amethyst and Garnet had taken to making sure she was never alone. If she went to stand, a hand would reach out to help. When her stomach would grumble a plate of food would appear, and when that food wouldn't stay down a hand would stroke her hair. If she slept, she woke up to find her self covered in a blanket. Every time she added to her nest, she found gifts of nesting materials and food left out. They rubbed her aching feet and back, and when she felt restless...

A firm hand slide down to Pearl ass.

"I'd like to do more." Pearl gasp turned into a long drawn out moan as the other hand slid down her belly into the front of her shorts. Her mates take very good care of her. Garnet leaned down to nibbled Pearls ear.  
—————————————————————

"Log number 8920, the fusions and Amethyst have exhibited some new behaviour. They have both been taking part in dominance display's. They are hostile to any one who approaches their perceived territory. They constantly patrol, Make false running charges at any intruders and mark the area with their weapons. Oddly this behaviour does not extend to the 'just Connie' or the 'Greg'. Maybe the constant offerings of 'babies supply's appeases them." 

"You know, you can just talk to them if you have questions" The 'just Connie' didn't understand. 

" I highly doubt those human logs have adequate information on gem conception." Peridot laughed at that thought. The ground was covered in medical text detailing human birth and pregnancy, supplied by an eager Connie, and an intrigued Dr. Maheswaran. "I know, but they can give us a starting point to understand what's happening." The girl didn't look up at the alien. Steven looked a little pale when he read the page Connie found so fascinating. "H..hey Peridot, why don't you tell me what you know about gem babies." He eyes were doing that weird star thing again. 

"I don't know much about it. Peridots don't breed. Ha! Peridots breeding."

"Why not?" The boy asked sadly.  
"Breeding takes the accuracy out of the process, no one needs a Peridot that can't do their job. With the kindergarten you know what gem you get."

"So it's like the difference between a clone and regular reproduction." Connie looked at her with excitement. "A kindergarten gem will have the same characteristic as the seeded gem while a conceived gem will be a mix of their parents!" Peridot supposed some earthlings weren't as dumb as they appeared. "Essentially, yes. Only the highest of the high of that luxury on home world."

"Well that's sad." She didn't understand why any one wanted to be gravid to begin with, let alone why the boy found it sad not to be. 

"Why can't a Peridot fight or do more then engineer?" Questions like that were more trouble then they were worth to Peridot.

—————————————————————

Pearl loved baths. The smell of soap the feel of warm water, one of the better human ideas. "Hey come on P, don't fall asleep on me" Amethyst sat on the ledge of the tub, legs dangling in the water.

"Hmmm" Was Pearl's only response. Amethyst combed her fingers through Pearl's peach coloured hair, messaging her scalp as she lathered in the shampoo. "Think any will look like me?" Pearl giggled at her excitement. 

"There's nine of them. Likely one will be an Amethyst." 

"I know that, I mean... Ya know. Like me" the end of the sentence trailing of softy.

Pearl silently contemplated the correct way to reassure the girl. Was she more worried that they would defective or if they would be exactly like she was intended to be, big, strong and mean. Pearl pulled away from the ministrations and turns to the smaller gem. She was avoiding her eyes, instead look at Pearl protruding belly. Pearl wrapped her in a loose hug. Lips dance across a purple fore head down to flushed cheek and across to its twin stopping to kiss a button nose, and now hovering over full lips. Amethyst strained foreword, only to have Pearl move with her.

"Will any of our clutch mean less to you than the rest, will you ignore a Ruby when they cry, or a garnet when they needs help?" 

Amethyst pulled back in surprise, eyes wide at the implication. 

"Of course not!"

Pearl smiled and kissed her, it was a soft brush of lips. Pearl tightened her arms and pulled Amethyst into the water.

"Hmmp...Hey!" Amethyst first reaction was to jump out of the water but her mate held strong. Pearls joyous laughter echoed across the room. The purple girl pouted, a shit eater grin spread across her lips as she started splashing. 

"Stop that." Still giggling lightly she tightened her arms around Amethyst, making sure to trap her still active hands. Amethyst laid her hand on Pearl's belly, a Serene look spreading over her face.

"All off them are mine." Amethyst declared. 

"Oh?" Pearl pulled her closer.

"Just like Steven is all of ours." Amethyst Pressed her lips to the pearl on her fore head.

"Good."

—————————————————————

"Log number 9001, the pearl has gone into labor. The sires have taking her into the temple and the job of guarding has fallen to Steven and I."

"Hey, Peridot can you turn that off for now?" The half gem requested in a voice that made him sound small.

"But this is an important event that must be recoded for future reference."

"I know, I know. It just that.."

"Just what?" Peridot ask in annoyance.

" I feel all queasy, and hearing you talk about it makes it worse, you know what I mean." The boy was looking down with a hand over his belly. Peridot awkwardly slid down to sit with the boy.

"No, I don't know what you mean, but I am trying."

" I read all about all the bad things that can happen! What if that happens to Pearl?" The boys eyes were leaking, why were they leaking? Is this another way for humans to expel, Why did she want to hug him? 

"She's a gem, if she is too badly harmed she will retreat into her gem." She replied. Honestly she know, he know this.

The boy looked up of her sniffing and crying. Great, Peridot thought. Now his nose was expelling.

"Mom didn't." It was like a shot to the chest, even if she had to strain to hear the defeated voice. 

"You were made in a similar process?" She ignored they way her chest tightened at his words.

"Yeah, that's how most humans are made." The boy looked forward. "Did you think I came out of a holes in the ground?" He laid on the ground with his head in her lap. Peridot absently started to run a hand through his thick hair, it felt oddly right.

"Yes." She honestly had.

The boy laughed at her but it slowly turned into a yawn. She felt like she should cover him in a full body wrap and protect him from the world. It was a silly through since he had the most defensive capabilities of the group. 

"Being human is to take risk." The boy mumbled.

"You could say that for all life forms."

"Maybe." He was slurring now.

"It's an ineffective was to reproduce."

The boy was now snoring agents her. What a strange place.

————————————————————— 

Garnet had emerged from the temple after 13 hours. Steven had grabbed on to the older gem like his life depended on it, Garnet picked him up and hugged him with a tired smile. Peridot followed behind them timidly, avoiding any ire from the fusion. As they approached she could see an arrangement of cushions and blankets.  
Amethyst sat with her legs crossed to the side, her eyes unblinking as they approached the nest. In the centre of the arrangement Pearl was curled up.

Pearl purred as she curled around her clutch. There was nine eggs of various sizes and colours. White, pink, purple, blue, red and orange. Steven ran over to Pearl side, which earned him a tired smile from Pearl and an affectionate smile from Amethyst and Garnet. Peridot kept a safe distance to observe from. Pearl pulled the boy into a hug. He sat down beside her her excitedly and hesitantly reached for the eggs. 

He paused when he felt a large hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Garnet smiling at him, Pearl nodded her approval. Given consent Steven ran his hand over one of the eggshells. He's eyes sparkling in wonder. 

"How long?" Steven asked in wonder.

"5 months" Pearl replied with confidence. Had the pearl done this before? Peridot felt like the more questions she had answered the more that popped up. Amethyst joined them in the nest. They all seemed so happy. Peridot found her self desiring to be included. She settled her self at the edge of the nest.

"Neat!" He exuberantly claimed. Amethyst pulled the boy close with one arm. Her chest was puffed out with pride, she playfully pulled him into a head lock.

"Are you ready to be a big brother?" Amethyst teased the boy. She started running the boys head with her knuckles, the boy struggled to get away. 

" 'corse he is." Garnet pulled him for the head lock and sat him in her lap. 

"I know." Pearl supplied with the up most confidents.

"And what will you do when they hatch?" They family unit turned to Peridot. They seemed at ease with her presence, but that could change. 

"We." The fusion emphasized the word.  
"We will protect them." Amethyst added.  
"We will love and care for them." Pearl's voice cracked in exhaustion but remained firm.  
"And we'll do it together!" Steven smiled.

Working together to protect the weakest and most vulnerable members of the group, it was very different from home world. Being part of home world was like being a cog in a machine. When a part got worn through it was replaced, good as new and unmourned. The crystal gems worked like an animal. Everyone served a purpose, remove a part it could still function or be swapped for a new part. But the pain of lost and a scar would remain.

"Together."


	2. Cracking eggs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The eggs hatch.

       When a kindergarten gem formed they break their way out of the earth, in a show of power and might, ready to fight. Eggs hatching were a different story.

"Come on Peridot, if your slow you'll miss it." Steven grabbed her hand tightly, his prancing undeterred by her dragging.

"Why do you even care?" He doesn't react to her agitated tone.

She was watching tv, but Amethyst bursting out of the temple changed things quickly. Amethyst hosted Steven off the bed beside her, throwing him over her head. Loudly proclaiming that it was time. Now she was being dragged to see the eggs hatch.

Turns out they didn't miss much. The five of then now sat in the nest, circled around the eggs, waiting. One of the white eggs started moving about ten minutes ago, tedious to say the least. Finally a crack appeared on the shell, the other eggs slowly started to move as if detecting their sisters success. The crack spread slowly along the convex surface. One side of the crack started to lift and move away from the other. Some thing was started to wedge its way through the tight space. They waited with bated breath, slowly a limb started to push its way out.

It was a foot. The tiny toes clutched at the dry air, testing the new surroundings. Garnet grabbed Steven's arm, gently preventing him from helping. Some of the other eggs started cracking at this point, moving a little faster then their trail blazer of a sister. The foot sticking out of it's crack started pushing at the opening it made. Slowly it worked gradually expanding the gap, finally it's lower body was free. It paused trying to figure out how to free the rest of itself.

The other eggs had a single leg or arm free, working hard to free themselves from their bonds. Pearl started chirping, it seemed like an odd thing Peridot. The gemling hearing their mother, fought even harder to escape. Finally after an hour the first gemling had herself free.

"It's a Pearl!" The young boy found himself once again being held back.

"Come on Garnet! Why not?" The largest gem simply held a finger to hmet mouth.

"Shhh. Just watch." She smiled proudly at her brood.

The free pearl scanned her surroundings, peeping desperately. Pearl responded with soft chirping. The newly hatched gem turned her head, slowly she started crawling in the direction of the noise. It's limbs worked fruitlessly as it tried to figure out the best way to propel itself. Slowly it got the idea, still stumbling and falling on its face a few times.

"It can't even walk?" Peridot asked incredulous. At this point a kindergarten gem would have been assigned a position.

The little gem ignored everything else and continued crawling for its mother. A ruby and an Amethyst had themselves free now. The first gem finally reached Pearl, peeping in triumph. Hearing her success the ruby and amethyst started after her. Pearl gently picked up the young gem. She cleaned off the remaining egg fluid with a towel. The gemling protest the action, calming only when she was placed down in her mothers lap.

The other gemlings all ignored any other sounds other then Pearl's chirping, driven to find the safety of their mother. Not long after the first pearl found its mother the other followed. Pearl cleaned them all one by one before depositing them, into her lap. Pearl sat with nine gemling in her hold. Two pearls, two amethysts, an opal, a sapphire, a ruby, a sardonyx and finally garnet. They chirped, meowed, growled and even barked at their mother.

"Why do they not speak?"

"They don't know how to yet, they need to taught." Pearl briefly stopped chirping at her brood to explain.

"Then why chirp at them?" Peridot frustration at a slow system, clear in her voice.

"'ts instinct, Pearl's entire being is driving her to respond to them, just as they're driven to get to the safety of their mother." Garnet and Amethyst moved closer to look at their offspring. Steven was now inspecting the eggs shells, in wondering at the hole process.

"But Garnet, you're the strongest one here, aren't you the safest place?" Steven moved closer to look at his siblings, his questions got him a hand ruffling his hair.

"Very true Steven. But multi sire clutches are not uncommon, the safest place for most newly hatched is the mother, since many sires won't care for another gems young." Pearl supplied excitedly.

"Not that G or I would do that." Amethyst was poking at the gemlings, earning herself growls and chirps of protest.

Peridot still found herself hopelessly confused with this whole situation.


	3. Individuals

"Why would you name them?" The little human was relentless, on this silly idea.

"We can't not give them names. Names are important, it's part of who you are." Steven had picked up a pearl and amethyst from the batch, letting them play with his hand and clothing. The tiny gems seemed happy with their new location, only making sure Pearl was still in sight.

"We don't do that sort of thing, were gems." Peridot grew more agitated, did this boy name each shirt he wore?

" what if I'm calling for Amethyst and this one thinks I'm calling for her and they both show up." He held up the tiny amethyst to make his point. The tiny gem looked a lot like its sire, save for the blue eyes and rounded gem. She mewed happily, looking down on her siblings.

"When they are fully grown they should be able to preform the same task, it wouldn't matter who came."

"That's not true! What do you do on home world if your looking for a specific gem?"  
He was half gem, how was he so unaware of how this worked?

"I think Stevens right." Garnet skillfully redirected the boy. He's eyes shined as he looked to his guardians.

"I guess theirs no harm in it. A sense of individuality can have a positive impact." Pearl was hesitant but saw the value in the idea. The small opal had climbed up Pearls head and was barked at everything. 

"Fine." Amethyst lazy drawled out. "But I get to pick names for the amethysts"

"No way Amethyst. We do this together." Pearl pulled her young closer, protecting them with her body.

"Come on P! Give little Crusher and Wrecker a chance." It was hard to tell if she was joking or not, she said it with such gusto.

"Absolutely not!"

"I kinda like it." Garnet picked the opal off of Pearl's head, smiling as the tiny thing snuggled up in her arms.

"You can't be serious Garnet." The little gems in Pearl's lap tried to mimic their moms out raged cries but it was just a course of animalistic sounds. Garnet just smiled and shrugged, nether confirming or denying. 

The first hatched, pearl climbed out of her mothers lap, exploring the room without reservation. The tiny sapphire, noticing her escape soon fallowing after her, eager to see the surrounding room.

"Oh, no you don't." Amethyst nabbed them, before they could get lost under the furniture. The sapphire cried out at the injustice, unwilling to go quietly. The little pearl was content with their fate.

"You could always number them." Peridot added oh so helpfully.

"We can call this one Susan." Steven held up the little amethyst again, putting out the first name he could think of.

"Susan is a, uh, lovely name. I was just thinking something maybe a little more gem based." Steven deflated for a second, before bouncing back with a new suggestion.

"Oh, oh oh!"

" you don't have to raise you hand, weirdo." Amethyst laughed at his enthusiasm, causing the boy to laugh with her.

" but what about Tumble?" He seemed proud of this one, eyes sparkling as he announced the name.

"You're naming them after what they do, are you going to call one sleep and another consume?" 

"No Peri, I mean like a rock tumbler, it makes rocks smooth. Like her gem." Steven held the gemling closer to Peridot, she backed away but still found the menace placed in her lap. 

"I assumed that was a trait passed on by Pearl." The little amethyst just sort of laid down to sleep, ignoring its new name or how uncomfortable Peridot was. Amethyst scooped up the little one, saving Peridot from having to interacting with her.

"What do you think, do you like the name?" Amethyst was talking directly to the smaller amethyst. The gemling mewed softly, dissatisfied with being awake, unaware of what she was being asked. 

" If this one is Tumble, would the other amethyst be facet?" Pearl was laughing at the idea, full from her belly causing the gemling to cry out in distress as their bed quacked.

"Yes." The resolve in Garnet's voiced had everyone looking at her, even the gemling looked towards the authoritative voice.

"Alright then, how about Baroque for her." Pearl gave up without a fight, Garnet seemed sure of the choices. She picked up the little pearl from Amethyst lap, showing of the slightly elongated pearl on her fore head. She was the first to hatch, her hair was darker then Pearl's and her eyes were a stormy blue. 

"Not bad, how about Perla for the other one?" Amethyst offered. 

"Is that not just calling her Pearl? How about something, different?" Steven picked up the smaller pearl, ignoring Pearl's complaint. Her gem was perfectly round, she was smaller then her sister pearl and had long hair.

"But it's so pretty."

"See P, Steven likes it." 

This went on for some time, Peridot found her mind wondering. In the end it was Tumble and Facet for the amethysts, Baroque and Perla for the pearls, Pyrope for the garnet, Star Sapphire for the rounded sapphire, Corundum for the rudy, Fluoresce for the opal, 'who it turned out glows in the dark, much to her parents surprise' and final Sard for the sardonyx. At this point Peridot felt she fulfilled her social obligations to the family unit for the day.

**Author's Note:**

> I think eggs are interesting. It's so different from human reproduction, yet still so similar. The idea of Peri recording everything just seemed funny. I don't own any of these characters.


End file.
